CHIASMUS AND OTHER HEBRAISMS

Another indicator of "Jewishness" that is a testimony to the ancient origins of the Book of Mormon is that it is full of what scholars call Hebraisms.  These are the poetic and literary forms of writings from the ancient middle east. They testify to those who study them that a 19th Century American farm boy did not - indeed could not - write the Book of Mormon. These poetic forms were used because Hebrew poetry (prophecy and psalm) were written to be read or sung aloud.  These parallelisms aided in recall just as we remember the words to songs because they rhyme.

One of the most iconic and challenging forms is the Chiasmus or, more properly, the Chiastic form of Parallelism.  It is referred to by the Greek letter chi which is represented by an X.  In this form the thoughts are organized in such a way that they resemble an X. First thought is represented in reverse order. At its finest, this is a very complex form of poetry.   A simple example might be the old English nursery rhyme:

An outline of this poem might look like this

A prime: Old King Cole

     B prime: was a merry old soul

     B reverse: and a merry old soul

A reverse was he

More complex chiasms have a central thought that is the most important.  They may look more like this:

A prime (first thought)

     B prime (second thought)

               C (central or most important thought)

     B reverse (first thought in reverse order)

A reverse (second thought in reverse order)

In 1962, while serving a mission for the Church, then Elder John W. Welch was studying his copy of the Book of Mormon one day and noticed these strange parallelisms.  He did some research and found that these were chiasms and they were a common poetic form used anciently.  After more research he shared his ideas with others like his companions and mission president and the word got around.  The Church had not formally commented on the existence of Hebrew poetry prior to that time.  Brother Welch went on to make his research and study part of his life's work.  He currently teaches law at Brigham Young University and is a Book of Mormon scholar with the Maxwell Institute.

One of the examples of chiasmus is found in Mosiah 1, as King Benjamin is instructing his son, Mosiah.  The following verses (11-13)are central to the entire chapter. I am trying to present them in their chiastic order:

A) And moreover, I shall give this people a name

    B) that thereby they may be distinguished above all the people which the               Lord God hath brought out of Jerusalem

               C) And this I do because they have been a diligent people in keeping                      the commandments of the Lord.

                   D) And I give unto them a name [Jesus Christ/Christian]that                                  never shall be blotted out, except it be through transgression.

           C) Yes, and moreover I say unto you, that if this highly favored people                 of the Lord 

     B) should fall into transgression, and become a wicked and an adulterous              people,

A) that the Lord will deliver them up, and therefore become weak like unto their brethren [the Lamanites who were not called by the name of Christ/Christian.]

King Benjamin tells his son that he plans on giving his people and name that will differentiate them from their Lamanite brethren. He can do so because the Nephites have kept the commandment.

The name he will give them is that of Jesus Christ - Christian Believers.  It will only be blotted out if they fall into transgression.

They have been a highly favored people because they have kept the commandment, but if they begin to sin like the Lamanites, then they will no longer qualify for God's name or His protection.  If we carried a step further, their names would be blotted out on the records of the Church (which we see happen in the times of Mosiah and Alma.)

What is the most important idea?  Jesus Christ.  The Book of Mormon is another testimony of Jesus Christ. He was the central focus of the Nephite people.  When He ceased to be, and they became more wicked than the Lamanites, they were blotted out in about 400 A.D.  Look for Christ throughout your study this year.  I promise, you will find Him.  Look for Him in your life, even it trying times like this, and I promise, you will find Him.

© Dr. Kathleen Rawlings Buntin Danielson April 2020